Bhubaneswar, 14 July (H.S.): A Special Vigilance Court has convicted a retired Junior Engineer in a disproportionate assets (DA) case investigated by the Odisha Vigilance.

According to an official release, Ashok Kumar Padhy, former Junior Engineer (JE) in the Office of the Assistant Soil Conservation Officer (ASCO), Gunupur in Rayagada district, was convicted on Tuesday by the Special Judge, Vigilance, Brahmapur for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Padhy had been charge-sheeted by the Odisha Vigilance under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Following the trial, the court sentenced him to three years of simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh.

The Odisha Vigilance stated that, following the conviction, it will move the competent authority to initiate proceedings for the stoppage of pension benefits of the retired official in accordance with the applicable rules.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda